Bungaree takes on Daylesford in the Central Highlands grand final

It has been five years, almost to the day, since hometown hero Danny Frawley died. Now his football club is on the brink of a remarkable premiership.

Bungaree in a huddle during last week's preliminary final. Picture: Bungaree Football Netball Club.

Emotions will run high when the Bungaree Football Club contests the Central Highlands Football League grand final on Saturday, in the same week it mourns the five-year anniversary of the death of its favourite son.

The Demons, like all football fans around the country, were devastated in 2019 when club legend Danny Frawley died and was subsequently found to have been suffering the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) caused by concussions during his football career.

Frawley’s death occurred within kilometres of club headquarters.

Bungaree, the home for generations of Frawleys, will take on Daylesford in the premiership decider at Ballarat’s Mars Stadium, looking for its first premiership since 2014.

Last year the team fell one game short of the grand final, losing to Gordon, but were able to beat the defending premiers this year to make the grand final.

Bungaree celebrates their last premiership in 2014. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Bungaree president Heath Boyd said Frawley would be in everyone’s thoughts as the senior team runs out on Saturday afternoon.

“He’ll be mentioned,” the president revealed.

“Along with Danny, over the last two years we’ve had some close people to the football club pass away.

“Bill Adriaans, a former club secretary, he passed away last year, he’d be loving everything about this.

“Graham Hudson, who was a long-time sponsor and life member, he’ll be mentioned as well.

“Paul Mahar was a former player who passed away six years ago this month as well, he is the brother of Andrew Maher, the former president.

“The Frawley family and all the other families involved will be in the front of our thoughts, especially if we salute on Saturday.”

Boyd said nothing specific had been planned on the day for Frawley but some of his family would likely be attending.

Frawley’s brother Michael and sister Marita will be there with their mother, who lives near Mars Stadium.

The other brothers and sisters are not going because of distance and it’s unlikely Anita, Danny’s widow, or his children will attend.

Frawley’s brother, Tony, who wished he could be there, said it would be a big day for the club and the family, tinged with sadness.

Danny Frawley kicking a bag of potatoes in 1985.

Tribute at the Bungaree Football Club in 2019 where Danny played as a youngster. Picture Jay Town

“Mum went to the last two grand finals with Gordon, so she’s looking forward to watching Bungaree,” Tony said.

“Dad was a former president and mum was ladies committee chairman for about 25 years.

“We all played there (at Bungaree) and my three sisters played netball there.

“It will be a bit of a sad day as last Monday was Danny’s fifth anniversary of his passing.

“He would have loved to be there.”

Tony said somewhere there would be a big smile on Frawley’s face knowing his beloved Demons had made it.

The former Northern Territory AFL CEO said the football club had a major impact on him.

“He’d be rapt,” he said.

“He was such a big promoter of the Bungaree Football club and Bungaree in particular.

“He really put Bungaree on the map in lots of ways.

“I wish he was there in person tomorrow (Saturday) but unfortunately he’s not.”

Reaching the grand final for Bungaree is the culmination of a five-year plan with coach Ryan Waight along for most of the journey.

In the off-season the team added premier forward James Lukich, who is the competition’s leading goalkicker, as well as leading ruckman Dallas Martin and a couple of midfielders.

It helped them become a major threat.

“If we play our brand and if we play our best football we’ll be difficult to beat,” Boyd said.

“Our coach spoke to the guys at half time against Gordon and said go play our brand of football.

“Play our way.”

Boyd said a win would mean a lot to the volunteers at the club.

For the opposition, Daylesford, the rise has been extraordinary.

Last year the team finished 14th and had not played finals in seven years.

Led by the recruitment of former Werribee District players Chris Molivas, Lee Johnston, Matt Dean, Andrew Panayi and Trent Lee Daylesford is now one game away from winning their first title since 2012.

Daylesford president Carson White said the club had been building for a few years to create an environment for success.

“Ben Jones (our captain) sold them (the Werribee players) this is the plan, this is the vision and this is the strategy,” White said.

“They said ‘yep, okay we can buy into that’ and it has worked well.

“The first goal was to make finals, which we did, and then we thought if we could get to a prelim final it would be amazing.

“To be in the grand final is amazing for the club.”

White said the team was ready to claim the title despite the rapid rise.

Bungaree won the match between the two earlier this season.

“We’ve got a lot of respect for Bungaree, they are an awesome club,” he said.

“No one knows what will happen on Saturday (from form) it will be whoever turns up on the day.”

The game starts at 2.45pm at Mars Stadium.